Release mechanism for the electric winding system of an alarm



April 11, 1967 s. scHwAB RELEASE MECHANISM FOR THE ELECTRIC WINDING SYSTEM OF AN ALARM Filed OCC. 28, 1965 2 Shets-Sheet 1 April 11, 1967 s. SCHWAB 3,

RELEASE MECHANISM FOR THE ELECTRIC WINDING SYSTEM OF AN ALARM Filed Oct. 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' United States Patent 3,313,100 RELEASE MECHANISM FOR THE ELECTRIC WINDING SYSTEM OF AN ALARM Samuel Schwab, Moutier, Switzerland, assiguor to Louis Schwab S.A., Moufier, Switzerland Filed Oct. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 505,523 4 Claims. (Cl. '8-41) This invention has for object a release, mechanism for the electric winding system of an alarm. The release of the ringing mechanism in alarm clocks results from the axial movement of an hour-wheel having a projection and of the wheel of the alarm having-a corresponding slot, the two wheels moving toward another.

Already known are electric clocks functioning 'by means of a battery which supplies a motor for rewinding a spring jointly driving the movement and the striking mechanism of the clock. In such clocks, a device is provided to stop the rewinding of the spring during the release of the striking or ringing mechanism. This device in turn mechanically c'ontrol an electric contact. Such a device is complicated as well by the number and the arrangement of the parts that it requires and by the means necessary to insulate the conductive parts forming the contact. Also known is an electric alarm wherein a motor supplied by a battery operates directly activates a single spring for the movement of the striking work and in which a device released periodically by a cam, penetrating in a groove of the hour wheel allows the interposition in the electrical circuit of a resistance controlling the charge of the battery. Here, however, the device does not interrupt the functioning of the motor during ringing, and the contact is by means of blades which renders it vulnerable to oxidation.

This invention, which avoids these prior art drawbacks, has for object a release mechanism for the electric winding mechanism of an alarm, which mechanism is characterised by the fact that the hour wheel is conductive and by the fact that the alarm wheel is insulated and has two concentric conductive rings linked by a bridge and has a groove in an insulated portion provided in one of the rings, in such a way that when the projecting part of the hour wheel engages in the groove of the alarm wheel, the electrical winding circuit between the rings and the hour Wheel is open while it remains closed while these are not engaged.

The annexed drawing represents one embodiment of the present invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along line II-II, of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV, of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view along line V--V, of FIGURE 3.

In FIGURE 1, shaft 1 bearing the minute hand 2 is mounted between two plates of which only one is shown. The shaft passes through the face of the dial 4 mounted on the dial bearing plate 3a. The hour hand, 5 is secured on the pipe 6 of hour wheel 7 co axially mounted around shaft 1.

The hour wheel 7 is driven by a dial-train comprising pinion 8 integral with Wheel 9 meshing with canon pinion 10 mounted on shaft 1. An alarm wheel 11 turning around pipe 6 bears a socket 12 on which is mounted the alarm hand 13. Wheel 14 home on the extremity of a shaft 15 permits the angular movement of alarm wheel 11 and consequently that of alarm hand 13.

The hour wheel 7 bears a finger 16 rubbing on the alarm Wheel and adapted to engage in a groove 17 of the latter. To this effect, the hour wheel bears against the alarm Wheel by meansof a leaf spring 18 mounted by one of its extremities to plate 3 and which by its other and elongated extremity and (not shown) locks in its upper position or frees, in it lower position (when projection 16 is engaged in groove 17), the oscillating mass, not shown, of the striking work.

The alarm wheel is formed of insulating material. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4; the same has encased in its surface, two concentric conductive rings 19 and 20 linked by a bridge 21. The inner ring 20 has, on one section, groove 17 formed in the insulating mass of the alarm wheel. The conductive part of ring 20 is interrupted around groove 17.

The hour wheel 7 is conductive and electrically linked to the mass of the movement, and its projection 16 having a configuration corresponding substantially to that of groove 17, normally rubs against ring 20. A brush 22 fixed to an insulating stud 2 3 of the Watch dial holder 3a continuously rubs on conductive ring 19. In such a position, where the hour wheel bears by its projection on the track 20 of the alarm wheel owing to the elastic pressure of leaf spring 18, the striking work is mechanically locked by the leaf spring and the electric circuit is closed. This electric circuit comprises a pole of a current source, not shown, brush 22, ring 19, bridge 21, ring 20, projection 16, hour wheel 7 and the mass of the movement. This circuit goes from the pole a of the current source to the release device for re-winding the alarm. If the requisite conditions for re-winding are fullfilled, this device can operate while the striking work is not operative. On the contrary, when the finger of the hour wheel engages in the groove of the alarm wheel and a little before this, the electrical circuit is open. The striking work is then set oif but the electric re-winding cannot take place until the moment where the finger, having emerged from the projection, again enters in contact wit-h ring 20. g Thi mechanism advantageously avoids, during release of the striking work which release usually uses up two or three barrel turns, the inter-locking of the re-winding of the spring which occurs after only one turn of the barrel and thereby ensures a good functioning. In efiect, if this mechanism were not provided, there would be a continuous release of the striking work since before the termination of the striking. (After two or three turns of the barrel, re-winding would occur after one turn of the barrel.) Or, it would be necessary to re wind after a greater number of barrel turns which would interfere with the steady functioning of the movement a a result of the difference in the tension of the spring.

Ring 20 may be interrupted along two arcs a, as shown on FIGURE 3, in such a way that re-winding only occurs at a given time before and after the functioning of the alarm. Ring 20 also can be positioned in such a way as to operate other attention-getting means, for example a small transistorised radio or an electric vibrator and the like.

It will be understood that many variations of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope thereof otherwise then as indicated in the appended claims. Thus, for example, there can be disposed at least one conductive ring on the other face of the insulating alarm wheel.

What is claimed is:

1. In a release system for the electric rewinding system of an alarm clock having a source of current in the rewinding circuit (A) an angularly movable insulated alarm wheel having a groove therein;

(B) a conductive hour wheel having a projection 3 adapted to fit in said groove, and electrically connected to said circuit;

(C) resilient means urging said projection in said groove;

(D) electrically connected inner and outer concentric rings secured on said alarm wheel, said inner ring having a cut away section permitting access of said projection into said groove;

(B) said resilient means urging said projection against said inner ring whereby said electric rewinding circuit is open when said projection engages in said slot and closed When said projection contacts said ring.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wheels are coaxially mounted.

3. A system according to claim 1, having an electrical contact brush mounted ins-ulatingly on said clock and in contact with said outer ring.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said inner ring is interrupted along two arcs thereof.

N'o references cited.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

STEPHEN J. TOMSKY, Examiner.

G. F. BAKER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RELEASE SYSTEM FOR THE ELECTRIC REWINDING SYSTEM OF AN ALARM CLOCK HAVING A SOURCE OF CURRENT IN THE REWINDING CIRCUIT (A) AN ANGULARLY MOVABLE INSULATED ALARM WHEEL HAVING A GROOVE THEREIN; (B) A CONDUCTIVE HOUR WHEEL HAVING A PROJECTION ADAPTED TO FIT IN SAID GROOVE, AND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID CIRCUIT; (C) RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID PROJECTION IN SAID GROOVE; (D) ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED INNER AND OUTER CONCENTRIC RINGS SECURED ON SAID ALARM WHEEL, SAID INNER RING HAVING A CUT AWAY SECTION PERMITTING ACCESS OF SAID PROJECTION INTO SAID GROOVE; (E) SAID RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID PROJECTION AGAINST SAID INNER RING WHEREBY SAID ELECTRICAL REWINDING CIRCUIT IS OPEN WHEN SAID PROJECTION ENGAGES IN SAID SLOT AND CLOSED WHEN SAID PROJECTION CONTACTS SAID RING. 